Michigan Natural Features Inventory

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Plants and Animals

Cincinnatia cincinnatiensisCampeloma spire snail

Key Characteristics

The shell of the campeloma spire snail is about .2 inches long, globosely conic, with 4-5 weakly striated and rounded whorls meeting at deeply impressed sutures and terminating in a high spire. The aperature is large and round.

Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.

Habitat

This species is widely distributed and found in a variety of aquatic habitats including small creeks, large streams, springs and lakes (Burch 1988, Clark 2004).

Natural Community Types

Great lake, littoral, benthic

Headwater stream (1st-2nd order), riffle

Headwater stream (1st-2nd order), pool

Headwater stream (1st-2nd order), run

Inland lake, littoral, benthic

Mainstem stream (3rd-4th order), pool

Mainstem stream (3rd-4th order), run

Mainstem stream (3rd-4th order), riffle

For each species, lists of natural communities were derived from review of the nearly 6,500 element occurrences in the MNFI database, in addition to herbarium label data for some taxa. In most cases, at least one specimen record exists for each listed natural community. For certain taxa, especially poorly collected or extirpated species of prairie and savanna habitats, natural community lists were derived from inferences from collection sites and habitat preferences in immediately adjacent states (particularly Indiana and Illinois). Natural communities are not listed for those species documented only from altered or ruderal habitats in Michigan, especially for taxa that occur in a variety of habitats outside of the state.

Natural communities are not listed in order of frequency of occurrence, but are rather derived from the full set of natural communities, organized by Ecological Group. In many cases, the general habitat descriptions should provide greater clarity and direction to the surveyor. In future versions of the Rare Species Explorer, we hope to incorporate natural community fidelity ranks for each taxon.

Management Recommendations

Management of the campeloma spire snail should focus on maintaining healthy water quality and habitat structure. Chemical and heavy metal pollution from herbicides and pesticides (Kosanke et al. 1988), agricultural and urban runoff, industrial waste, and other point and non-point sources can be lethal to many snail species (Besser et al. 2007, Johnson 2009). Water acidification often results in freshwater snails producing thin shells, increasing vulnerability to predation (Brown 1991). Snail communities are extripated when pH levels drop below 5 (Okland 1992). Reduction in the burning of fossil fuels will decrease the effects of acid rain on this group. River impoundments, dredging and channelization harm snails through increased sedimentation, habitat alteration, and fragmentation of existing populations. Such projects should address possible impacts to aquatic organisms through monitoring and mitigation measures.

Active Period

Active from first week of June to first week of October

Survey Methods

There are several effective methods for conducting aquatic snail surveys. Areas of coarse cobble substrate are best surveyed with a glass-bottomed bucket or scuba search, and hand collecting. Stones and sunken pieces of wood can be picked up, searched, and replaced. Dip net suveys are employed at soft substrate locations. Aquatic vegetation held over a bucket and vigorously shaken to remove individual snails is another technique (Groves 2007).